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Photograph © Wayne Lorentz/Artefaqs Corporation
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Formerly: A.G. Bartlett Building
Formerly: The Union Oil Building
Built:
1911
Designed by: John Parkinson and Edwin Bergstrom
Renovated: 2001
Type: Office Building
Stories: 12
Location: 617 West Seventh Street
City: Los Angeles
State: California
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W
hat would otherwise be a rather unremarkable downtown office building is spiced up by a bit of texture. The exterior of this building features endless rows and columns of Chicago-style bay windows poking out into the Southern California breeze. The top and bottom two floors of the building lack this detail, forming a margin that makes the long end of the building resemble an old fashioned computer punch card.
This building started its service as the headquarters of the Union Oil Company. It held that role until 1923. After that became the A.G. Bartlett Building and as the Security Pacific Bank Building. Unfortunately, pedigrees don't mean as much these days as they once did so the building is now known merely by its street address.
Renovation has taken much of the character away from this building. The cornices and other decoration that once segmented this building into the traditional base - shaft - top arrangement typical of its time have been removed. The result is a more modern look, but also one that is more bland.
**Architect: John Parkinson
**Architect: Edwin Bergstrom
**Alternate address: 651 South Spring Street, Los Angeles, California 90014
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